Chess lessons › Chess strategy
The initiative
Keep making threats, and give material when it keeps the other side busy.
The idea
Keep making threats, and give material if it keeps your opponent busy.
- White is a bishop down, but White is the one making threats.
- On h4 the pawn attacks the queen, so Black must spend a move on her.
- A threat every move leaves Black no time to get organised.
In a game: When you attack, look for moves that make a new threat, so your opponent never gets a rest.
How the lesson begins
Having the initiative means you are making the threats and your opponent has to answer them. It is worth more than it looks. Sometimes a player gives up material to get it.
In this opening, the Marshall Attack, Black is happy to lose the pawn on e5. Step through the next moves, and count the pawns at the end.
- 10... Nxe5 11. Rxe5 White has won a pawn: count them. Black has one fewer.
- 11... c6 Black’s pieces are active, and the engine rates the position as close to level.
A question
Black is a pawn down in this position. Is that a mistake?
Show the answer
No, Black has paid a pawn for active pieces, and the engine rates the position as close to level.
Right. Black has paid a pawn to get active pieces and play for the initiative, and the engine says the price is fair. The initiative can be worth a pawn.